“I won’t be a rock star. I will be a legend.”

Farrokh Bulsara was born 5 September 1946, on the African island of Zanzibar. At the time of his birth, Zanzibar was a British colony; it is now a part of Tanzania. His parents were Parsis from British India. The Parsis are a close-knit Zoroastrian (a religion based on the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster) community based in India, most of whom descend from Persian Zoroastrians, who later settled in India. The Persian empire consisted largely of what is now known as Iran. Bulsara had one other sibling, a younger sister.

In 1954, Bulsara was sent to a boarding school in India near Mumbai, where he was not only an exceptionally bright student, but he excelled at sports. While in school, he formed a band, which was popular with his schoolmates. He remained in India for most of his childhood, living with his grandmother and aunt, until he finished his education in India, graduating from St. Mary’s High School in Marzagon in 1963 and returning to Zanzibar.

In 1964, the Bulsara family were forced to flee to London, due to the Zanzibar Revolution. He enrolled at Isleworth Polytechnic, eventually earning a degree in art and graphic design. Bulsara remained a British citizen for the rest of his life.

After graduation, Bulsara worked a series of small, menial jobs including a job at the Heathrow airport. At the same time, he formed or was part of several small bands that all eventually failed to take off.

In 1970, Bulsara met two local musicians and formed a band, performing mainly as the lead soloist, although he also played the piano live and in recordings as well as writing the majority of what would later become the band’s iconic songs. He used a variety of different genres in his song and music writing, something he would later become known for and which lent a unique quality to the music of his now widely popular, hugely successful band.

He is most well-known, however, for his stage presence. Said David Bowie of Bulsara, “I only saw him in concert once, and as they say, he was definitely a man who could hold an audience in the palm of his hand. He could always turn a cliché to his advantage.”

Beginning in the early 1970s, Bulsara had a long-term, live-in relationship with a woman named Mary Austin. However, his affair with a record executive at his label in the mid-1970s ultimately resulted in the end of Bulsara and Austin’s relationship. Nevertheless, they remained close friends throughout the rest of their lives with Bulsara referring to Austin as his common-law wife, even saying “To me, it was a marriage. We believe in each other, that’s enough for me.”

According to Bulsara’s companion at the time, Bulsara was diagnosed with HIV in the spring of 1987, even though he had denied this very statement to the press. Until the end of his life, Bulsara was increasingly stalked by the press because of his band’s lack of touring and comments frequently made to the press by former lovers.

Finally, on 23 November 1991, Bulsara, through his manager, released a statement to the press that said:

“Following the enormous conjecture in the press over the last two weeks, I wish to confirm that I have been tested HIV positive and have AIDS. I felt it correct to keep this information private to date to protect the privacy of those around me. However, the time has come now for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease. My privacy has always been very special to me and I am famous for my lack of interviews. Please understand this policy will continue.”

A little over 24 hours later, on 24 November 1991, Bulsara died at the age of 45 of bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS.

Farrokh Bulsara was more popularly known by the stage name that would eventually become his legal name: Freddie Mercury, the renowned lead singer of Queen.